The Not So Subtle Art of Self Defense
by LauraRoslinForever
Summary: Melinda May thinks that life is as close to perfect as she can have it. So she hasn't dated in a while. She doesn't need a man in her life. She's tried that before and it never ends well. Then the unthinkable happens. A guy in a Captain America shirt walks into her class with his care-free smile and doesn't leave. But is she willing to let her guard down to let him in for a second


It's the end of October, the middle of fall but a cold chill has settled over the city, making it feel too much like December which is unfortunate for her because Melinda May hates winter.

She starts her morning as she always does at six AM with Tai Chi. She can hear her roommate getting ready for her day down the hall. They share a three-bedroom apartment in Midtown Manhattan. Her room is the largest, which is great because she needs the extra space to exercise. Neither of her other roommates hadn't needed the space, and neither wanted to interrupt her in the mornings. Though they are without one of them now. Bobbi is getting married and has moved in with her future husband in Soho.

It's just her and Elena left. They thought about getting another roommate but decided to leave the bedroom for guests. Which is good because it's currently being filled by her young employee. They don't need the extra money both of them having good jobs they can pay the rent on their own. Elena is an attorney and Melinda has a sizeable inheritance not to mention her studio self-defense class makes living comfortable.

When she finishes her exercise, she takes a shower she knows her roommates already gone. She stands in her robe while sipping tea and looking out at the clouds that have settled over the city. It's going to be one of those mornings. She'll have to remember to take her umbrella out with her today.

She lets out a heavy breath and grabs her scarf and her down-filled, black North Face jacket.

She grabs her green tea blend from the counter along with her keys and leaves.

It's only a few blocks walk from her apartment to her studio. She teaches the 8 AM Tai Chi classes along with the 11 o'clock. She spends the rest of her day doing administrative work and runs her business. Every now and then she'll do an advanced class and they offer many more she has ten teachers on the payroll.

"Good morning," comes the sweet, British accent from the front desk associate and full-time biology student at NYU. Jemma Simmons works for her part-time from seven to noon every day before she wanders off to class. She's bright and good with the customers and never late to work.

"Good morning," Melinda answers in kind because despite the gray skies and cold at least she didn't get rained on along the way so she's happy for the moment.

I've got three messages for you on your desk. And also a cup of tea.

Along with the front desk, Jemma also has the responsibility of taking Melinda's phone calls for her. Occasionally she surprises her with a tea from Starbucks. She doesn't have the heart to tell her she can't stand the China Green Tips. Jemma looks so sweet and proud she can't help but smile, grateful before she washes it down with the tea she brought from home.

"Thank you," she tells her, thankfully this morning there is no tea and makes her way into the back. She's running a little behind today; The messages will have to wait until after her class.

She tosses her bag into her chair in her office and keys on her desk she takes the tea waiting for her and drinks there as she makes her way into the locker rooms to change before eight.

She enjoys teaching. Enjoys seeing the self-confidence in her students build over the weeks that follow their first session. However, there's one student who she can't quite figure out.

He's not subtle. Not by a long shot. He's not there for himself. She can tell he doesn't really enjoy the class. And he though he tries, the effort he puts into it is lacking, to say the least, and it annoys her to no end.

A couple of months ago he came wandering into her class with a friend. Both were uncoordinated and clumsy. At least he tried to follow her. After ten minutes his friend fell on his back onto the mat panting and stayed there for the rest of the exercise. Phil has been back every Friday but his friend she's never seen again. She doesn't understand why he keeps coming back if he's not there to ask out someone. She's highly suspicious it's Susanne. His mat seems to always find a way beside hers and she's caught the redhead laughing at the things he says to her before class more times than she can count. She doesn't blame him or Susanne. She's had to suppress her own smile at some of his jokes and she hates to admit it, but he's cute in that adorable nerd kinda way. She knows he's one because he frequently wears a verity Marvel tee shirts and she knows he favors Captain America above them all.

She's happy for Susanne, if not a little jealous. As much as he annoys her with his presence, he has this smile and this lightness to him that would probably be attractive to her if she was the recipient of his interest. But he's not, so she isn't. She just wishes he'd get on with it so she can concentrate on her class and not on the goofball in the back making a fool of himself.

She walks into the class. He's there early and she barely manages to stay an eye roll as she thinks today is the day. She smiles to herself, wondering how he finally grew a set overnight. She sets up mats and notices him watching her.

"Would you like some help?" he offers with an easy smile that reaches his eyes.

She shrugs a shoulder and tries not to think too much into his offer. He's just kind. Another one of his qualities she adds to the list of not for her. "If you'd like."

He says nothing as he gets to his feet and heads to the corner of the room where she keeps the mats. Students trickle in and she gets a text from her former roommate. She forgets about Phil for the moment and replies that yes, she's very aware of the dress fitting for the following day.

She starts class after she sends a text back to Bobbi.

He's hanging back, waiting for what she doesn't know. Probably to see if Susanne shows up to the next class. Once the room is empty, she internally groans as he makes his way over to her. God, if he asks her to give a message to the redhead she just might kick his ass out of her class. He smiles, and it makes a feeling akin to jealousy churn in her gut. _You have no right to feel this way_, she reminds herself. So it's been a while since she's dated. She chalks the feeling up to loneliness and pushes it to the back of her mind. She'll deal with her irrational disappointment later in the gym with a punching bag.

"Did you need something, Phil?" she asks, not turning to face him but hearing his footsteps stop a little way behind her.

"I was hoping to ask you a question."

_Here it comes._ She stares ahead at the wall, her shoulders fall. Slowly, she turns toward him. "If it's about the advanced class, I don't think you're ready for it."

She mentioned the new class she'd be teaching at the end of class. She hopes by mentioning it, not to mention taking a jab to his ego, he'll think twice about asking her anything else. It doesn't.

"This isn't about the advanced class, though, I agree. I'm pretty terrible at the basic." That has her lips lifting before she can help it. She really hates Susanne right about now. "Actually, I was wondering if I could take you out to dinner tonight."

She blinks and blinks some more while he processes what he's just said. Did he just… Wait, what? "Come again?"

"I can see I've surprised you."

"But," she begins, her mind replaying all these weeks. Her eyes flick to the corner of the room where he and the redhead normally find their spots then back to his blue eyes. "Susanne…"

He nods like he knows what she'd been thinking and takes a step toward her. "Susanne is a great gal. Really quite funny and we both share a love for the Yankees, but she's not my type, and I don't think her girlfriend would appreciate me asking her out."

She's still floundering. She feels like an unsure teenager whose crush just admitted his likes her too. "So let me get this straight, all this time you've been…"

"Here to see you," he confirms with another smile, this one a little wider than the rest.

Butterflies erupt in her stomach. She tilts her head down to swipe an errant lock of hair that's come loose from her ponytail.

She crosses her arms across her chest. She's not defensive, far from it. She just needs something to do with them. Raising an eyebrow, she mutters an, "It took you long enough."

He smirks. "I've been told my pace is a part of my charm."

She shakes her head and snorts. She admires his bravo now that he's found it. If he wants to take her out tonight, he'll have to wait. She made plans with Daisy and as much as the younger girl wouldn't mind if she canceled, she'd probably insist that she went, Melinda needs some time to process all this. "I can't tonight. I have plans."

"Tomorrow night then?"

A sigh escapes her along with a small smile at the hopefulness in his voice. "I suppose you've suffered through eight weeks of my class."

"I wouldn't say suffer. I find them invigorating."

She rolls her eyes. He's too much. Cute, but too much. "You can stop. I'm already agreeing to the date."

Apparently, his weeks spent in her class has made him aware of her facial expressions so he knows he has her at the end of her patience because he drops the flattery and says, "Should we exchange numbers? I can text you a time and you can let me know where to pick you up."

He holds out his phone, and she takes it, ignoring the swooping sensation in her stomach when their fingers brush one another's. "You're not going to be one of those obnoxious guys who takes this as an invitation to text me all the time, right?"

"Definitely not," he says.

"Good, because I hate that," she tells him handing his phone back that now has her number saved.

"Noted. I'll see you tomorrow."

He smiles, and he takes a few steps back while keeping eye contact. It makes her want to smile, and she feels heat beginning to rise in her cheeks so she turns away when he does just in case he looks back again to see how flustered he's made her. For the rest of the day, all she can think about is how blind she had been and how cute he was when his smile was directed at her.


End file.
